Foxconn CEO: iPhone 5 ‘Will Put Samsung Galaxy S III to Shame’

Foxconn CEO Terry Gou took some time to pan the Samsung Galaxy S III this week. Photo: Peter McCollough/Wired

Foxconn CEO Terry Gou just can’t help himself: When he sees an opening to stir up controversy, he goes all in.

Last month, Gou added fuel to the Apple TV rumor fire when he said that his company was making preparations for the iTV. Now, Gou is urging consumers to hold off on buying Samsung’s new flagship smartphone. Instead, he says, we should all get an iPhone 5 when it eventually is released.

At a shareholders’ meeting Monday, Gou reportedly said that the new model “will put Samsung’s Galaxy S III to shame.”

Gou also reportedly called Samsung “a company with a track record of snitching on its competitors” — a reference to a European price-fixing investigation of the flat panel industry in 2010. And how’s this for an inflammatory statement: “I respect the Japanese and especially like their execution and communication styles. Unlike the Koreans, they will not hit you from behind.”

According to gaming blog Kotaku, Japanese blogs are actually reporting that Gou used more colorful language, calling the Koreans a slang word for “country hicks.”

Foxconn confirmed an alliance with Japan’s Sharp Electronics Co. on Monday. Gou said the partnership should help his company defeat Samsung Electronics in 3 to 5 years.